Concerned With Trend Of HC Judges Keeping Judgment Reserved For Several Months After Hearing: CJI DY Chandrachud

Chief Justice Of India, DY Chandrachud today (April 8) expressed serious concerns about High Court judges reserving judgments on matters for long periods after completing the hearing.

CJI said that after he wrote to High Court Chief Justices seeking information about the details of cases where judgments have been reserved for over three months, several High Court judges released those matters from their board. 

"What is a matter of concern is judges reserving matters for over 10 months without judgment What is a matter of concern is judges reserving matters for over 10 months without judgment. I wrote a letter to all the High Court Chief Justices, please inform me of the details of the cases which are pending for more than 3 months after the judgement was reserved, so that we have a list of the pending cases after their judgements were reserved for more than 3 months. After the letter had been circulated, it was brought to my notice that several judges made the matters de-part heard and released them. It makes it worse! Because parties now have to engage a fresh set of counsels, the same counsels all over again. The case is heard all over again..."

He stressed that such a practice was causing severe dents to the principle of judicial efficacy and speedy justice. Not only do parties and lawyers have to go through the litigation process all over again, but also the quality of judgements is sacrificed considering that oral arguments no longer remain fresh in the judicial mind. 

" So when you release a matter pending for 10 months to 2 years, the judiciary's time is wasted. After 10 months honestly, I do not know whether a judge remembers the matters because oral arguments ceased to matter, it's only what you have on paper which you decide the matter on."  

If Judgment Is Not Delivered Within 6 Months After Reserving, Case Should Be Assigned To Another Bench For Fresh Hearing : Supreme Court To HC

Advisable That High Court Delivers Judgment Soon After Conclusion Of Arguments : Supreme Court